Evaporative cooler



1, 1950 I B. J. ZAPART ET AL 2,517,156

EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed Aug. 24, 1945 Patented Aug. 1, 1950 Bruno J .Zapart Chicago, Ill.,and Rudolph A.

, I "Mack, Phoenix, Ariz. 1

Application August 24, 1945, erial No. 612,426

1 I The present invention relates to refrigerating devices and has for its main object the provision of a suitable mechanism for using a suitable refrigerant, such as gasoline, and set between the source of gasoline, such as automobile gasoline tank, and the point of its ultimate consumption, such as automobile engine, thereby eliminating usual condensers, electric motoraetc,

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerating device of the character indicated, whichmay have comparatively few parts, without detracting from the efliciency of its operation.

A still further object of the present invention is to improve and simplify the construction of the refrigerating devices of the character above indicated.

With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a partof this application, the figure is a side view, partly in section of the present device on a vertical plane, diagrammatically showing its relative position with respect to a motor vehicle gasoline tank and an engine. I

Referring in detail to the present drawing there is shown a motor vehicle gasoline tank I, with the bottom of which pipe 2 connects. Said pipe 2 passes through the bottom of tank 3, and within a suitable distance from the bottom of said latter tank connects with float valve 4 which is actuated by float 5, the latter floating upon the surface of gasolinefi within said tank 3. Gasoline is fed into tank 3 by means of said pipe 2 and valve 4.

Connecting with the bottom of tank 3 is vertical pipe I, having at its lower end elbow 8 which merges with the lower end portion of coil pipe 9, The bottom end of said coil pipe 9 is gradually rising forming an incline, its lowermost point being adjacent to said vertical pipe I, for the I purpose presently described.

Entering into the bottom end of said coil pipe 9 through said elbow 8 is an air eduction pipe III, the opposite end of said pipe III being provided with bleeder valve II. Said bleeder valve Il may be suitably adjusted for regul he amount of air to be passed through pipe I and therefrom injected into the lower end of pipe 9. Since the lower end of coil pipe 9 is at an incline the air injected thereinto rises upwardly I through 6Claims. (or. 624169) said coil pipe Sand doesnot pass into said verticalpipel f 11 The upper end of coil pi'pe9 connects with the bottom of surge tank I2, into which gasoline and mixture of air and gasoline gases pass from said coil pipe9. v i

Connecting with the upper end of surge'tank I2 is pipe I3. Theiatter pipe connects withcheck valve I4. Connecting with check valve I4 is pipe I5, the latter leading into and connecting with manifold I6, and intermediately of carburetor I! and engine I8, Through pipe I9, the latter connecting with tank land carburetor I'l gasoline is fed into carburetor I I. Mixture of air and gasoline vapors passes from carburetor I'l throughmanifold I6 intoengine l8, where it=is used up as a motive power for amotor vehicle in the usual manner. I

Tank '3 and surge tank I2 are substantially positioned upon the same horizontal plane, their upper ends being connected by a by-passing pipe 20. I y I "The upper end of tank 3 is provided with lid 2|, on removal of which access may be had into tank-3 'for regulating float valve 4. Coil pipe 9 and surge tank I2 are enclosed within housing 22 in which suitable openings may be provided through which cooled air may normally pass to the outside of said housing 22 for cooling the interior of a motor vehicle, or through which the same maybe blown out by suitable blowers: If the device is used at home as a refrigerator, housing 22 may be the walls of a refrigerating unit, I I I I i The bottom of said housing 22 is provided with reservoir 23 into which water may precipitate when the ice clinging to coil pipe 9 melts, on defrosting of the device. Through check valve 24 connecting with reservoir 23 the water may pass outwardly, I I I As to the operation or the device it -is noted that vacuum is maintained in manifold I6and pipe I5 due tothe suction exerted upon the contents thereof by engine I8. Gasoline passes into tank 3 through pipe 2 and float valve 4 from tank I. From said tank 3 gasoline passes through pipe I into coil pipe 9, filling the latter. Air passing through bleeder valve II and pipe II] is indectedinto coil pipe 9 and mixes there with the gasoline causing vaporization thereof. under the influenceof vacuum maintained in surge tank I2 and pipe I3. The degree of vacuum maintained in surge tank, I2 and pipe I3 is suflicient to act upon bleeder valve II to suck such an, amount of air through. pipe III as may berequired .to aux in the two permitting normal flow of gasoline into-.1

said tank 3 through said float valve 4., Said by-passing pipe also permits maintenance of gasoline in tank Sandsurge tank. l2 at the same level as is shown in full lines in. said tank 3 and by dotted line in said surge tank 12. The gasoline in coil pipe 9' and insurge' tank I2, of course gradually is consumed due to its vaporization and ultimate consumption by engine I 8 as it passes thereinto from. surge tank [2 through pipes 13 and I5 and manifold l6. and check. valve 14, when in. the form of air and gasoline vapor mixture. This consumption of gasoline. lowers the level of the gasoline within tank 3, thereby causing float 5 to shift downwardly. As the. gasoline in coil pipe 9 and surge tank l2, as well as in tank 3 is. periodically consumed, and its level in tank 3 is periodically lowered,. and thereby float 5 is periodically shifted downwardl-y, float valve 4- is periodically opened for the purpose of periodically adding to the amount of gasoline in tank 3 and surge tank [2 as well as in coil pipe 9.

When float 5 opens valve 4, gasoline is sucked into tank 3 through said valve 1 byvirtue of. vacuumin said tank 3.

From the hereinabove description it will be seen that due to constant evaporization of gasoline in coil pipe 9 extreme cold is engendered in said coil pipe 9-and outwardly thereof so that coil pipe 9 becomes frosted. a

It is also observed that by providing refrigerating mechanism on the path between the source of the refrigerant, such as tank i, and the point 1 of. its ultimate consumption, such as engine [8, the refrigerating mechanism requires no condensers or electric motors.

It is further observed that the refrigerating process takes place in coil pipe 9 and not in surge tank l2. Coil pipe 9 being of a. comparatively small diameter the vacuum .acts, upon its contents in a. greater degree to bring about vaporization of the gasol ne when mixed. with air, than in surge tank l2 where the air and gas mixture upon leaving coil pipe 9 expands from where it is pumped through. check valve M- by the. action of engine I8 and through pipes l3 and i5. and intake manifold 16.

Although the device would work comparatively well without check valve l4, without it however uniform degree of vacuum in surgetank l2 and pipe is, to act upon gasoline in coil pipe 9 could not be had due to varied cycles: of the; operation of engine EB and consequently due to the varied degrees of vacuum engendered thereby in pipe I5 and. manifold l6. As the suction action. of engine i8 is increased, gas is sucked from; surge tank l2 through check valve [4. During intervals in the operation of engine I8 when the sucti'on in pipe l5 and manifold 16 is not suflicient to overcome check valve [4 for opening the same no gas passes therethrough from surge tank l2, but nevertheless during those latter intervals there still is a sufiicient degree of vacuum. induced in said surge tank l2 by prior intervals of the operation of engine I8, to efliciently act upon gasoline in coil pipe 9 to evaporate the same.

The device herein disclosed need not necessarily be limited for use in motor vehicles either passenger or trucks. The same may be employed for homes, freight cars transporting food etc. Other refrigerants such as ammonia water, may be employed. If the device is employed for home use, fuel oil maybe employed asthe refrigerant in connection with the device.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be; made therein without departing from the spirit. and scope of the invention as claimed.

What We claim as new is:

l. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by aninternal combustion engine having suction intake means, a suction line adapted for connection with the suction means, a surface. cooling element. having upper outlet and lower inlet end portions with. said upper end portion. connected. with the Suction line, a supply tank, a pipe extending downwardly from the supply tank to the inlet end portion and connected therewith, said inlet. end portion being inclined upwardly from said connection with the supply pipe, and an eduction tube located in said inclined tube and terminating inside the inlet. end at a point away from the point of, connection of the supply pipe therewith, and means for supplying a gaseous fluid to the eduction tube.

2.. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by an internal combustion engine having intake. means, a suction line adapted for connection with the suction means, a surface cooling element in.- c-luding. a coil having upper outlet and lower inlet, end portions with said upper end portion connected with the suction line, a. supply tank, a. pipe'eXtendi-ng downwardly from the supply tank to.- the-in'let end portion and connected therewith, said, coil. being substantiall in helical form about an upwardly extending axis and with said inlet end. portion upwardly inclined from the point of connection with the. supply pipe, an eduction. tube. of lesser diameter than the coil and in said. coil extending into the inletend portion of the coil and. terminating at a point spaced from the point of connection with the supply pipe, and means to supply air to said tube. for passage of air through the coil for vaporization of afluid therein.

3.. A refrigerating device adapted to be operated by an internal. combustion engine having in.- take means, a suction linev adapted for connection with. the: suction. means, a surface cooling element including a coil having upper outlet and lower inlet, end portions with said upper end portion connected with the suction line, a supply tank, a. pipe extending downwardly from the supply tank to. the inlet end portion and: connected therewith, said cell being substantially in helical form about an upwardly extending axis and with said inlet end; portion upwardly inclined from the point of connection with the supply pipe, means; for supplying air to said inlet endportion of the coilv at a point spaced from the point of "connection with the suppl pine for passage of air through the. coil for vaporization of a fluid therein, saidsupply tank including means for periodically admitting fuel thereto to maintain a liquidllevel in said tank, a surge tank connecting the coil with. the suction line, and means con.- neoting thesurge tank with the supply tank.

4. A refrigeration device comprising suction means, a heat exchange coil having upper and lower ends, a surge tank connected to the upper end of said coil, means connecting the surge tank to the suction means, a supply tank connected to the lower end of said coil, a by-pass connecting the surge tank to the supply tank, and a tube extending into the lower end of said coil, said tube being adapted for supplying air to vaporize a liquid in said coil.

5. A refrigeration device comprising suction means, a heat exchange coil having upper and lower ends, a surge tank connected to the upper end of said coil and positioned thereabove, means connecting the surge tank to the suction means, a liquid supply tank positioned above the heat exchange coil, means to maintain the liquid in said supply tank at a predetermined level, means connecting the surge tank to the supply tank, said means being located above the level of the liquid in the supply tank, an upright pipe connecting the bottom of the supply tank to the lower end of the heat exchange coil, an eduction tube extending into the lower end of the heat exchange coil and terminating within the coil at a point spaced from the lower end of said upright pipe, and means to supply air to said eduction tube for vaporizing a liquid in said heat exchange coil.

6. A refrigeration device comprising suction means, a heat exchange coil having upper and lower ends, a surge tank connected to the upper end of said coil and positioned thereabove, means connecting the surge tank to the suction means, a check valve in the means connecting the surge tank to the suction means, a liquid suppl tank positioned above the heat exchange coil, means to maintain the liquid in said supply tank at a predetermined level, means connecting the surge tank to the supply tank, said means being located above the level of the liquid in the supply tank, a vertical pipe connecting the bottom of the supply tank to the lower end of the heat exchange coil, an eduction tube extending into the lower end of the heat exchange coil and terminating within the coil at a point spaced from the lower end of said vertical pipe, and means to supply air to said eduction tube for vaporizing a liquid in said heat exchange coil.

BRUNO J. ZAPART.

RUDOLPH A. MACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,822,586 Eckles Sept. 8, 1931 1,864,608 Munters June 28, 1932 2,151,948 Turner Mar. 28, 1939 2,258,725 Wilkinson Oct. 14, 1941 2,259,950 Downs Oct. 21, 1941 2,311,512 Backstrom Feb. 16, 1943 

